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Shloka 9

धृतराष्ट्र-संजय-संवादः — दुर्योधनस्य ह्रदप्रवेशः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Dialogue: Duryodhana’s Entry into the Lake

अश्लैविपरिधावद्धि: शरच्छन्नैविंशाम्पते । तत्र तत्र वृतो मार्गों विकर्षद्धि्हतान्‌ बहूनू

aślaiva paridhāvad dhiḥ śaracchannā ivāṁśumān pate | tatra tatra vṛto mārgo vikarṣad dhi hatān bahūn ||

Sañjaya said: “O lord, it rushed about like a blazing fire; like the sun veiled by autumnal haze, it moved on. Here and there the path was choked, as it dragged along many slain men.”

अश्वैःby horses
अश्वैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअश्व
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
विपरिधावत्ran about / rushed around
विपरिधावत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवि-परि-धाव्
FormImperfect (Lan), 3, Singular
हिindeed
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
शरैःwith arrows
शरैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootशर
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
छन्नःcovered
छन्नः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootछन्न
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इवas if / like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
इषुभिःwith arrows
इषुभिः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootइषु
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
अम्पतेO lord
अम्पते:
TypeNoun
Rootअम्पति
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
तत्रthere
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
तत्रthere (here and there)
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
वृतःblocked / obstructed
वृतः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवृत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मार्गःpath / way
मार्गः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमार्ग
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
विकर्षत्dragging / pulling
विकर्षत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवि-कृष्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
हतान्slain
हतान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootहत
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
बहून्many
बहून्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'pate')
T
the sun (aṁśumān)
A
autumn (śarat)
P
path/track (mārga)

Educational Q&A

The verse underscores the moral cost of war: even when action is swift and forceful, its trace is obstruction and death. Sañjaya’s imagery turns the battlefield into a lesson on the heavy aftermath of violence—paths are not opened by victory but clogged by the fallen.

Sañjaya describes a violent, fast-moving scene on the battlefield. Something (a force, weapon, or chariot-movement in the surrounding passage) rushes about fiercely; dust and haze obscure vision like the autumn sun. In many places the track becomes blocked because many slain bodies are being dragged along.